French Cultural Outfits
French history offers a number of cultural outfits that make fun costume ideas for parties or theatrical events. From the beret-wearing avant-garde poet outfit to the standard Napoleonic military costume, French culture enthusiasts have a variety of options to choose from. For best results, compare your outfit idea to prints or portraits from specific time periods to make sure your costume passes for historical accuracy.
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The French Poet or Mime
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The popularity of this French outfit has made it nearly cliché for Francophiles and costume enthusiasts. The standard French beret and black turtleneck combination has been a common outfit for singers, poets, artists and mimes alike, and can be assembled on a budget. The Family Education website recommends pairing a black-and-white striped shirt or black turtleneck with black jeans, black shoes and a black beret to pull off this cultural outfit. If you’re going for a mime, apply white face paint with black lip paint and eyeliner, and top it all off with white gloves and suspenders.
The Napoleon
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The Napoleon is a military outfit that dates back to the French Revolution. Complete with a military-style jacket, vest, pants, boots and hat, the Napoleon is an ornate choice for French enthusiasts. Although color choices may differ depending on the tailor or manufacturer, one common outfit combines a red vest with a white-and-black military jacket with gold trim. Pants are typically also white and are worn with knee-high black boots. The most iconic part of the costume is the bicorne hat, which can be worn in black or navy blue to good effect.
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Haute Couture
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The lavish lifestyles of French royalty offer a plethora of outfit choices for women. While the French maid and wench costumes are popular, depending on the occasion, the Elegant Lifestyle website suggests a wider variety of fashionable outfits called haute couture, or high tailoring. Women’s outfits from the French Revolution include pastel colors such as light pinks or blues made of thin fabrics and embroidered with floral decorations. Long white gloves were common, along with earrings and necklaces that mimicked floral shapes. More modern variations of haute couture can be seen in garments and accessories such as boas, floor-length fur coats, tight black dresses, pearls and scarves.
Assembling Your Outfit
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Creating a French cultural outfit can be an elaborate affair, depending on your scrutiny to detail. If renting costume pieces, consider local theaters and university drama departments, which may have a wealth of authentic-looking period costume pieces. Some outfits can be purchased from costume retailers, while others can be sewn using prepackaged patterns and fabrics.
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References
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